Folder for sewing-machines.



Patented Aug. 8, I899.

L. onnEnnonu.

FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 3, 1896.)

Witmeoow UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LANSING ONDERDONK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SPECIAL SE\VING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,628, dated August 8, 1899. Application filed January 3, 1896. Serial No. 574,246. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Folders, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying draw-' ings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in a folder or hemmer for attachment to sewingmachines for use particularly in the manufacture of shirts, clothing, overalls, &c.

The object is to provide a folder which is capable of adjustment to fit machines having needles set at difierent distances apart and also which is adj ustable in itself to vary the width of the fold or hem without varying the amount of material used inmaking said fold or hem.

The device is herein shown as applied to the well-known union special two-line sidewheel feed-up-the-arm machine; but the present invention is not limited to its application to said machine.

I am aware that it has been'heretofore proposed to make folders in twoparts, one of which is adjustable on the other to vary the width of the fold; but in all such devices so for as I know an increase in the width of the fold means a corresponding increase in the amount of material used. Furthermore, in other devices of which I am aware the raw edges of the material are not always properlyinclosed and hidden by the body of the goods; and a secondary object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for effecting the first'portion and having a corresponding fold fitting upon the first fold.

'Thirdly, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described, and referred to in the appended claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a cylindrical-bed sewing-machine to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the bed plate'and folder. Fig. 3 is a rear end view of" the folder and a perspective of one part thereof. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the main portion of the folder. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of a modified construction.

In the drawings, A represents a portionof the bed-plate of a cylindrical feed-up-the-arm two-line machine. This is provided with the ordinary cylindrical end cap B and the removable throat-plate 0, having openings for the passage of the needles and feed-dogs.

D represents the presser-foot attached in the ordinary way to the presser-bar E, and a a are needles, herein shown as arranged diagonally to each other respecting the line of feed and attached by the ordinary clamp and collar to the needle-bar F. The toe of the presser-foot D is upturned, as shown, so that the forward end of the folder may fit beneath the same, and thus leave no appreciable space between the end of the folder andthe front portion of the presser-foot which clamps the goods, whereby there is no danger of the clasticity of the goods causing the fold to become displaced in its passage from the guide or folder to the action of the stitch-formin g mechanism.

G represents the base portion of the folder, having the two laterally-extending wings I) c.

' The wing b is slotted, as shown at d, and two set-screws pass through said slot into openings in the cylindrical end cap B, whereby the folder as a whole may be adjusted to suit machines having needles of varying gages. The portion a of the base G of the folder is provided with openings for the reception of per portion to form the S-shaped fold g h, the raw edge of the fabric resting against and being guided by the inner wall g. The upper portion of the folder is shown at H and has the lat portion 1' ad j ustably secured to the portion 0 by means of slots is and the screws 0. This portion II is bent at g and at It to form an S-shaped fold corresponding to the S-shaped fold g h, the parts g h fitting upon the parts 9 h. After the bend it is formed in the part H the wall is turned upwardly on a curve, forming the lip I, beneath which one piece of the fabric is passed, the wall of said upwardly-curved portion guiding the outer edge of the fabric and the portion h guiding the raw edge. I preferably arrange these S- shaped folds so that when they are in position one within the other the plan es of the raw edges of the goods will overlap and be accurately guided by the walls 9 and h, respectively, and be kept, therefore, inclosed between the two parts of the fabric and entirely concealed from view when the fold has been made. The effect of forming these two S- shaped folds and the part II adjustable on the part G is to make practically two independent folders, one for each piece of goods, and there is always the same amount of material on each piece turned in no matter to what extent the width of the fold may be adjusted.

In Fig. 5 a modification is shown adapted to be used when only slight adjustment is required. In this figure only one of the parts 11 has the S-shaped fold, the other part G having the fold ending at m, dispensing with the fold h. In both forms, however, the broad invention is shown with one fold dovetailing into the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described folder comprising a portion with means whereby said portion may be secured to the bed-plate of the machine and provided with an S-shaped fold and a second portion secured to the first portion and having a corresponding fold; substantially as described.

2. The herein-described folder comprising a portion with means whereby it may be secured to the bed-plate of the machine and having an S-shaped fold and asecond portion adjustably secured to the first portion and having a corresponding fold; substantially as described.

3. The herein-described folder comprising the base portion G having the upwardlycurved portion fand the bends g and h, the portion I'l adjustable on the base G, and having the bonds 9, h adjustable relatively to the bends g, 7L, and having the upwardlycurved part, said part G having a transverse slot and set-screws passing therethrough into the bed-plate whereby the folder may be adjusted; substantially as described.

4. A folder for sewing-machines, comprising a base with means for attaching it to the bed of the sewing-machine, an upwardly-turned guiding-wall rising from said base, and a second portion carried by the base and having a curved portion extending below the plane of the upper edge of said guiding-wall and an upwardly-turn ed lip, substantially as described.

5. A folder for sewing-machines comprising a base provided with means for attaching it to the bed of a sewing-machine, a verticallycurved guiding portion rising from said base between its side edges and forming a wall against which one edge of the fabric is guided, and a second portion carried by the base and adjustable thereon, and formed with a downwardly-curved portion which acts as a complement to the vertical guiding-wall, and having an upwardly-curved lip by which the other edge of the fabric may be guided; substantially as described.

6. A folder for sewing-machines comprising a base with means for attaching it to the machine, an upwardly-turned guiding-wall rising from said base, a second portion carried by the base and extending upwardly and laterally across the upper edge of said guiding-wall, and provided with a portion extending downwardly below the upper edge of the guiding-wall, and having also an upwardlyturned lip; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. Witnesses:

CHAS. L. STURTEVANT, HARRY Y. DAVIS. 

